"I don't understand... Is he really like the other one? Will he kill us next?" Elwyn look at Jon as the men moved out the evening before when the dogs returned. "How can you trust it now that he's a beast?"
"Because he's still Emri, somewhere under there. He's still that horny idiot, but now he's got something he didn't have before: A score to settle. And...besides, even if he does turn on us, he'll more than likely take the chewy ones first." Jon laughed at Elwyn as he prodded the shorter man's round belly. Elwyn turned red in the face and shoved Jon away.
"Ya bastard," he said bitterly. "Are ye sure we have enough silver to take on the wolf-man? We spend the last days smelting and casting all we had! The men are pissed, but by the gods, ye'd better pull through on your promise of gold. They're hungry, Jon. They mean to make their money, though they know they're walking into the mouth of hell as it is. Are you sure?"
At this, Jon grew very quiet and stared out towards the moving men until suddenly he rounded and struck Elwyn right across the face in a steel-gloved back hand. The blow was strong enough to know the rotund man off his feet. He gave him demon eyes. "I knew it would come to the gold. You were never one to doubt me before. In fact, I expected more from you. They'll have their gold when I have my wolf. Nobody escapes from me. Not even a goddamned wolf-man and that little whore. Now get a move on before I take to testing the quality of my silver on your fucking neck."
Elwyn was still on the ground quite in shock, still trying to register what just happened. But it was clear when he saw that look in Jon's eye, one he'd only seen a few times before. They flickered in the starlight, much like a cat's would when having spotted a meal. He knew then that he didn't care how many men would have to die for him to get his prize. With the current lieu of hunters he'd recruited, they had enough to make a suitable small army, but he doubted it still was enough. This was no longer a hunt. It was a sacrifice.
Already Emri had attacked two men, scratching them gravely with claws he'd never had before and then and there Elwyn knew the curse had gotten to him. The full moon would rise the evening after next. Who was to say who would die...and who would be a spared meal for next time. He wasn't sure even he wanted to take that chance. But he did as he was told. He stood and began shouting for any stragglers to move along. Silver shone aplenty in the moonlight, gleaming like night candles, and he knew they were ready. The hounds were loud and barking and urging for their constituents to get a move on. The hunt was on.
__
Jerec's heart beat madly in his chest and he was shaking all over from a strange solution of adrenaline and fear. But it was not a sensation he was unaccustomed to. Jerec used it to press him harder and faster, but he reminded himself it wasn't just him anymore. He had Owlet to look out for and she was right behind him. At least he hoped she was. He knew that he couldn't waste even a second of precious time to look back to see if she was there. His ears strained to hear her footfalls and a small sense of relief washed over him when he knew she was indeed following him. But it was short lived and soon he saw the river coming up ahead.
They would have to cross it, however they could and he knew it was easily five feet deep in the section they were in. He wandered toward the edge, stopping just before the mud sucked his bare feet in. He said nothing but strayed from her a bit to find a shallower section and felt his stomach sink further when he heard her splash into the water.
"Owl!" he shouted, angry and desperate at the same time. The shouts and howls were getting closer. The dogs were hot on their trail. Jerec did look back in anxiety and looked across to the river again. It was too wide to jump in one bound. He'd get caught in the powerful current and dragged under with no footing to begin with. But suddenly he had no choice when he saw a log coming down stream at them. No not at them – at Ariel! Jerec didn't think before he did jump in, and swam desperately for Ariel, getting to her a fraction before the heavy log came barreling at them.
Yet, he did not go unscathed and felt the wood bash into the back of his head as he pulled himself under the surface, taking Ariel with him. He saw white for several seconds and his lungs clawed for air that did not come. His footing was lost however, and his arms in a vice grip around Ariel, soon took her with him as they were swept in the rush of the water. When he regained some semblance of consciousness, they resurfaced once again, but were crashing through the rapids. He gasped for air, still holding on to her with one arm while he tried desperately to alter their direction toward the other side.
